Why there should not be a conscience vote on gay marriage

We have already seen the major parties lacking the courage to conduct a senate inquiry into the Church of Scientology. This is an organisation invented by a science fiction writer with serious accusations raised against it, not only here but also in France and other nations.

In Queensland the influence of the religious right saw the Bjelke-Petersen Government ban an education program called MACOS. The Queensland Labor Party did not shirk from attacking this crude censorship.

To fight the crusaders and missionaries requires strength and conviction of principles. Not pragmatic compromise or cowardice.

The fundamental principle of a pluralistic society is that there should be no barrier to election to parliament based on a person's religious beliefs, but the quid pro quo is the parliamentarian's religious beliefs should not be foisted on the population at large through laws that restrict or impinge upon the freedoms or rights of others.

The leader of the Christian Soldiers in the ALP, Joe De Bruyn has said "I see it as particularly dangerous for the Labor Party to be contemplating supporting gay marriage. I can't understand why anyone in the Labor Party would be pushing for it."

He said Nationals senator Ron Boswell had been "dead right" in saying Labor backers of gay marriage would not have the support of people in the front bar of working class pubs. "Out in the real world people do not want this. It's an issue of interest in a few inner-city seats only."

I think punters out in the real world or in the front bar of working class pubs are more concerned about penalty rates being traded off by out-of-touch union leaders who are meant to be representing their interests.

But more importantly as the majority of Australians support gay marriage, why is that those that wish to foist their morality onto the rest of society have to hide behind the stereotyping of blue collar workers.

We see this on issues of race, refugees and homosexual rights, it is simply dog whistling to disguise their own views.

There is no place for redneck intolerance in the ALP, it's because of the Joe De Bruyns of the world that Labor has suffered a collapse in its primary vote.

Joe, I am sure if you were in 1930 strolling through some beer halls in Munich you would have found support for Nazis prosecution of gays, Jews, communists and Trade Unionists, that does not make it right.

The cowardice De Bruyn is showing is the same cowardice shown by moderates in Nazi Germany that allowed the prosecution of minorities to flourish.